How do i make a claim for workers’ compensation?
If you are hurt at work, you should report it right away to your employer so they can submit the proper form to the Workplace and Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) and start your claim. They should give you a form to fill out and if not, you can go to the WSIB website and download the form. See your doctor or other healthcare provider right away so they can submit a proper WSIB medical form to confirm your injuries. Once these forms are filed, the WSIB will proceed to review your claim.
If i start a lawsuit for my car accident, does my case have to go to court?
Lawsuits in Ontario can be tricky as there are numerous laws that limit or restrict your potential case. Depending on the insurance company involved, it may be possible to settle your case without having to go to an actual trial. However, depending on the issues in your case, and the severity of your injury, you may find that the other driver’s insurer is not terribly interested in paying you a settlement, in which case you will have to decide if you want to take the risks involved in a trial.
Who pays the legal “costs” incurred in a lawsuit?
Ontario has a rule that the loser of a lawsuit generally has to pay a significant part of the winner’s legal costs. Legal costs spent by both sides to a case include the legal fees for the lawyer’s work (their time spent multiplied by their hourly rates) the money spent by the lawyers or their clients on things like court filing fees, medical reports, expert fees etc. and sales tax. Apart from filing fees for various documents, you don’t have to pay for the judge or other court staff (our tax dollars pay for that) but the legal costs the losing side might owe after a trial can be very substantial